It has been a tiring week...Chinese New Year, SAT's and getting back on track with the tutorials...

Chinese New Year really burned a hole in my wallet. First it was dinner at Ajisen Ramen, Tampines Mall, last last week. Ate some kind of Noodles in Miso soup + California Maki + Green Tea (roughly S$15). Then on the 1st day of Chinese New Year it was dinner at Pizza Hut, Tampines Mall (roughly S$10? Don't remember). Then it was the climax...2nd day of Chinese New Year, I had dinner with a group of 6 at Canton Kitchen, Simei. It cost us S$30 per person! But the cod fish was VERY VERY nice, also, the tender chicken, Shark's Fin Soup, Mushroom in Abalone sauce, and of course, the 'Yu2 Sheng1' or Yee Sang. Then on the 4th day I went to watch 'The Last Samurai' ($7.50 or $8.50? don't remember) at Suntec. Then ate dinner at Nooch in Citylink Mall, A large bowl of Japanese noodles ($11.00).

Then of course there was the SATs. I had done 2 tests on paper and 1 test online last year to prepare. I completed 2 online tests 2 weeks before the SATs and I did 3 tests on paper 3 days before the SAT. But I realised that the tests on paper that I did wasn't really standardised because I got 1340/1600 for one, but the other I got 1590/1600, which is rather impossible for an actual SAT. Anyway, I expect to get around 1350-1450 for this SAT. The maths was easier than those that I did in some books but the verbal (as always) is a deterrent to obtain better results. Results will be out by 6 FEB. If I don't get 1500 I'll take the test again in May or June. If I'm going to take the test again I would have to take it this year because next year they'll be using a new testing method. Certain sections such as Analogies and Qualitative Comparison will be abolished but they'll add short passages and require students to write an essay! I'm also thinking of taking SAT II: Subject Tests but I'm not so sure if I really should because it is only relevant if I want to go to the top US Universities...or to get the A*STAR scholarships.

I was elected the Careers Representative in my class last last week. I got my first assignment yesterday to disseminate information concerning the prestigious A*STAR scholarships. It is a very competitive scholarship because applicant are expected to score at least 4 distinctions in their A-level subjects, at least a merit in an S-paper, score at least 1400 for SAT and 2100 for SAT II. But I guess the worse part is that they expect ASEAN nationals who get selected to apply for Singapore Citizenship.... Arggh!!! I might consider that (and maybe renouncing Singapore Citizenship after the 6-year bond) if I could skip National Service.

What's so alluring of this scholarship is that they give you support for up to 8 years of academic pursuit, leading to a PhD degree! Successful candidates will recieve full tuition fees, annual bok and conference allowance, monthly sustenance allowance, monthly overseas allowance (for PhD component), annual return airfare, computer allowance and warm clothing and settling-in allowance! More details at www.a-star.edu.sg

I visited Mr. Ng's (hostel manager) house, my friend Guolin's house and Mrs. Kitty Tan (my Civics tutor and Physics tutor) 2 days ago...at least I've got some Angpow!

Chinese New Year is coming soon, but it is not exactly a happy one for me because I'm not going back to Malaysia this year and my money is depleting fast somehow... been paying a lot of fees recently. Spent money on my new bicycle ($95 including the chain and lock), paid 4 months of miscellaneous fees totalling $72, class funds, $40 for the compulsory personality test (was it called a psychokinetic test? Can't remember),and I have also put aside $166 for a graphical calculator. But these are OK. I think I spend too much on FOOD. Just last Saturday (when the hostel does not provide dinner), I went to Ajisen Ramen at Tampines Mall to eat. It costed me $15! And now I'm planning of going out with my other hostel friends for a Chinese New Year dinner at a Chinese restaurant!

I had swimming lessons today. As I was in the intermediate group, I had to do 20 breadths of the swimming pool (in any style... most chose freestyle and breaststroke). My friend, Yi Cheng (who's a good swimmer) successfully attempted 1 stroke of the Butterfly style.

Anyway, I felt really rejuvenated after the swim. Since there was still about 30min left before 9.10am (when the next period starts), I went with my friend Yi Jian to have a cup of Teh Tarik at the Malay foodcourt opposite school before going back to school. I felt even better!

Lessons as usual....it was all OK, except the last few periods of Chemistry, because I was frustrated as I didn't know how was I supposed to write out the Volumetric Analysis open ended Question.....Today's lessons are not over yet. I have Physics 'S" paper lecture afterwards.

Yippie! The hostel matron will be giving all hostel boarders a treat today.... A Korean Table-barbecue feast (Somewhat like Seoul Garden) at Marina South...

About the story I wanted to write... We were having Mr. Ng's Maths tutorial lesson that day, and one of my friends got soooooo sleepy and slept in class. That's OK. Some of my classmates started taking their camera-phones out to take a picture of him. In the end the whole class decided to leave him sleeping there while we all went out. He didn't budge even a little bit! 04/03 came in afterwards. One of the students shouted 'Class stand!' right to his ear and he immediately stood up shocked and disoriented. All of us standing outside laughed heartily....

Not going back during Chinese New Year... quite sad... have to study for SAT too... hope to score around 1400 marks. I'm thinking of taking the test again Mid-Year.

I couldn't find time to write blogs these few days... been rushing to finish my procrastinated work. JC life just doesn't seem to make daily blog-writing possible.

Anyway, I kinda dislike Chinese lessons this year. The reason is I have a new Chinese teacher who just LOVES to make us write, write and write all day... Just today my class wrote our 3rd essay in less than 2 weeks. Scary, huh? He asked us what we hoped to do during Chinese Lessons the first day he came to teach us. We answered we would enjoy stuff on Chinese History and Literature. That just didn't seem to work out... Worst thing is, when he learnt about my name (which, I know and many people know, is kinda girly), he asked me why didn't I thought of asking my parents to change it. I was a bit angry at that time but I kept a well-mannered facade. His intentions were good...he probably didn't want me to get laughed at next time. There's a few reasons why I'll never change my Chinese name but I would not write it here.

Something interesting happened today and I would love to write about it but I just have to cut down on my blog writing time. SAT and March Common Test are coming up soon. I'll try to write about it soon.

Phew!
Last weekend was tiring...studies are starting to get back on track...

On Saturday (9-1-2004) the senior ASEAN, SIA and PRC scholars met with the juniors. (Almost) each senior ASEAN scholar was assigned to one 'buddy'--a junior under our 'care'--one direct scholar from Malaysia and one flow-thru scholar from ASEAN countries. One of my buddy is a Malaysian girl and the other a Lao (she's called Slackchith, but prefers to be called Lily). Had choir practice at 12.30pm until 4.00pm.

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On Sunday there was an Old Clothes Collection. We would be awarded with 6 hours worth of CIP hours if we completed our tasks. I thought it would be done in a jiffy but it turned out that each class was assigned to 11-13 blocks of apartments, so in the end my group finished at 2.00 pm.

After eating lunch, I went with my friend Yi Jian to Suntec Convention Centre to check out the library books for sale. It started on Saturday and ended on Sunday. I think we went too late... there were not many good books left. Those left were mainly obsolete books like travelling guides and 'Word 98 for Dummies' etc. However, I managed to find good book entitled 'American Dragons' (S$2.00) which narrated real-life stories of Asians (Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and even Tibetan) that had immigrated to US. Haven't start reading though. I also bought some magazines (S$5.00 for a stack of 10) on Chinese Literature, Philosophy and History.

After rushing back to the hostel for dinner. I made my final preparations for tonight's hostel orientation. I was a station master. My first time. Ching Mien helped me a lot and gave me some encouraging talk... Anyway, the games ended around 10 pm and after the hostel boarders had finished taking their bath they came down to claim their prizes and supper (Canadian Pizza!) provided by the hostel management and committee. Tiring day!

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Monday was a typical schoolday + PE (we ran the L-route today, about 3 km). Nothing much else. I tried to finish the remaining bits of my holiday assignments but couldn't find the energy (and mood) to do so. I was soooooooo shocked when Jeffrey SMS me to ask me how to do Question 4(b) of the Physics 'S'-Paper. Gaa!!!!!!! I had no idea how to do it. And Jeffrey had actually started to do his assignment already. I should learn to be as hardworking as him....

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Tuesday.....nothing interesting so far. There'll be Maths 'S'-Paper lecture later. Choir practice will commence after that.

This is my second attempt to start my own blog. I will try to write something tomorrow....